Samples used in social and commercial surveys, especially of the general population, are usually less random (often by design) than many people using them realise. Unless it is understood, this 'non-randomness' can compromise the conclusions drawn from the data. This book introduces the challenges posed by less-than-perfect samples, giving background knowledge and practical guidance for those who have to deal with them. It explains why samples are, and sometimes should be, non-random in the first place; how to assess the degree of non-randomness; when correction by weighting is appropriate and how to apply it; and how the statistical treatment of these samples must be adapted. Extended data examples show the techniques at work. This is a book for practising researchers. It is a reference for the methods and formulae needed to deal with commonly encountered situations and, above all, a source of realistic and implementable solutions.

Survey sampling is fundamentally an applied field. The goal in this book is to put an array of tools at the fingertips of practitioners by explaining approaches long used by survey statisticians, illustrating how existing software can be used to solve survey problems, and developing some specialized software where needed. This book serves at least three audiences: (1) Students seeking a more in-depth understanding of applied sampling either through a second semester-long course or by way of a supplementary reference; (2) Survey statisticians searching for practical guidance on how to apply concepts learned in theoretical or applied sampling courses; and (3) Social scientists and other survey practitioners who desire insight into the statistical thinking and steps taken to design, select, and weight random survey samples. Several survey data sets are used to illustrate how to design samples, to make estimates from complex surveys for use in optimizing the sample allocation, and to calculate weights. Realistic survey projects are used to demonstrate the challenges and provide a context for the solutions. The book covers several topics that either are not included or are dealt with in a limited way in other texts. These areas include: sample size computations for multistage designs; power calculations related to surveys; mathematical programming for sample allocation in a multi-criteria optimization setting; nuts and bolts of area probability sampling; multiphase designs; quality control of survey operations; and statistical software for survey sampling and estimation. An associated R package, PracTools, contains a number of specialized functions for sample size and other calculations. The data sets used in the book are also available in PracTools, so that the reader may replicate the examples or perform further analyses.

Sharon L. Lohr's SAMPLING: DESIGN AND ANALYSIS, 2ND EDITION, provides a modern introduction to the field of survey sampling intended for a wide audience of statistics students. Practical and authoritative, the book is listed as a standard reference for training on real-world survey problems by a number of prominent surveying organizations. Lohr concentrates on the statistical aspects of taking and analyzing a sample, incorporating a multitude of applications from a variety of disciplines. The text gives guidance on how to tell when a sample is valid or not, and how to design and analyze many different forms of sample surveys. Recent research on theoretical and applied aspects of sampling is included, as well as optional technology instructions for using statistical software with survey data. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

Following the chronological development of sample surveys, this book provides an analysis of the mathematical and statistical theory of the subject. The text begins with the mathematics of randomized sampling designs as well as a general treatment of estimation of population totals through the Horvits-Thompson estimator and its variants. The book then examines approximations and limit theorems for the distribution of the estimators and design-based estimation of other population quantities. It concludes with chapters concerning inference from surveys. Theory of Sample Surveys will assist in a range of applications, including: auditing quality monitoring market research wildlife surveys mining exploration agriculture and business surveys population health studies This book acts as an exceptional resource for survey methodologists in government organizations as well as lecturers and graduate students in statistics and biostatistics.

Second Edition offers a comprehensive presentation of scientific sampling principles and shows how to design a sample survey and analyze the resulting data. Demonstrates the validity of theorems and statements without resorting to detailed proofs.

A trusted classic on the key methods in populationsampling—now in a modernized and expanded new edition Sampling of Populations, Fourth Edition continues toserve as an all-inclusive resource on the basic and most currentpractices in population sampling. Maintaining the clear andaccessible style of the previous edition, this book outlines theessential statistical methodsfor survey design and analysis, whilealso exploring techniques that have developed over the pastdecade. The Fourth Edition successfully guides the reader throughthe basic concepts and procedures that accompany real-world samplesurveys, such as sampling designs, problems of missing data,statistical analysis of multistage sampling data, and nonresponseand poststratification adjustment procedures. Rather than employ aheavily mathematical approach, the authors present illustrativeexamples that demonstrate the rationale behind common steps in thesampling process, from creating effective surveys to analyzingcollected data. Along with established methods, modern topics aretreated through the book's new features, which include: A new chapter on telephone sampling, with coverage of decliningresponse rates, the creation of "do not call" lists, and thegrowing use of cellular phones A new chapter on sample weighting that focuses on adjustmentsto weight for nonresponse, frame deficiencies, and the effects ofestimator instability An updated discussion of sample survey data analysis thatincludes analytic procedures for estimation and hypothesistesting A new section on Chromy's widely used method of takingprobability proportional to size samples with minimum replacementof primary sampling units An expanded index with references on the latest research in thefield All of the book's examples and exercises can be easily workedout using various software packages including SAS, STATA, andSUDAAN, and an extensive FTP site contains additional data sets.With its comprehensive presentation and wealth of relevantexamples, Sampling of Populations, Fourth Edition is anideal book for courses on survey sampling at theupper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It is also a valuablereference for practicing statisticians who would like to refreshtheir knowledge of sampling techniques.

An introduction to the essentially mathematical principles of survey sampling as they are applied in practice. Intended for survey sampling theorists and practitioners, as a guide for those who may have to design and conduct a survey, and for those commissioning, organizing, and overseeing survey op

A complete, hands-on guide to the use of statistical methods for obtaining reliable and practical survey research Applied Survey Methods provides a comprehensive outline of the complete survey process, from design to publication. Filling a gap in the current literature, this one-of-a-kind book describes both the theory and practical applications of survey research with an emphasis on the statistical aspects of survey methods. The book begins with a brief historic overview of survey research methods followed by a discussion that details the needed first steps for carrying out a survey, including the definition of a target population, the selection of a sampling frame, and the outline of a questionnaire with several examples that include common errors to avoid in the wording of questions. Throughout the book, the author provides an accessible discussion on the methodological problems that are associated with the survey process, outlining real data and examples while also providing insight on the future of survey research. Chapter coverage explores the various aspects of the survey process and the accompanying numerical techniques, including: Simple and composite sampling designs Estimators Data collection and editing The quality of results The non-response problem Weighting adjustments and methods Disclosure control The final chapter addresses the growing popularity of Web surveys, and the associated methodological problems are discussed, including solutions to common pitfalls. Exercises are provided throughout with selected answers included at the end of the book, while a related Web site features additional solutions to exercises and a downloadable demo version of the Blaise system of computer-assisted interviewing. Access to the freely available SimSam software is also available on the related Web site and provides readers with the tools needed to simulate samples from finite populations as well as visualize the effects of sample size, non-response, and the use of different estimation procedures. Applied Survey Methods is an excellent book for courses on survey research and non-response in surveys at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It is also a useful reference for practicing statisticians and survey methodologists who work in both government and private research sectors.